It is the first Thursday of the month which means I am playing at Robust Wine Bar in Webster Groves tonight! I'll be joined the amazing Kristian Baarsvik (you won't believe your ears!) for a night of jazz standards and originals. This is always a really fun and relaxing night. Come out for some wine and music--you deserve it!

I am playing tonight in the Central West End at the wonderful restaurant Evangeline's. Everything about this place is great. I highly recommend it, and I hope you can make it tonight. I'll sing a special song just for you!

I have been practicing a lot and using my tape recorder in the process. I highly recommend this, and I am embarrassed to say that this is the first time I have really tried this sort of critical self-examination in my practice routine. I realize it is invaluable. I hear immediately that things I believed I had down I don't and areas where I believed I suffered I am not nearly as bad off as I thought. Yes, I can't recommend this kind of practice highly enough.

Also, I have some gigs coming up--tonight at the Missouri Botanical Garden with Kristian Baarsvik and Max Kelly. Tomorrow (Sunday) at Magpie's in St. Charles, noon-3 w/ Rob Nugent and Max Kelly. Monday night I play solo at Yaquis, 8-11, and Tuesday of course I'll be at The Venice Cafe w/ Jeremy Segel-Moss & Eric McSpadden.

Tommy Halloran performs music anyone would appreciate... He is to jazz as Uncle Tupelo was to country-western or Steve Earle to bluegrass. He possesses the schooling (both formal and hard-knocks) as well as the "chops" of a great jazzman... The basic truths of Delta-blues, swing, Gospel, and Bohemia are deeply rooted in Tommy's songwriting psyche. Like Randy Newman or Tom Waits (who seldom appear in the same sentence), his cooking belies his ingredients. He may not be "Chasin' the Bird", but he's certainly flippin' the bird as a top-rate improviser... Tommy embodies the original spirit of jazz. His blues, his bounce, and his ballads rival great musicians from any era. - David Seymour, JazzReview.com (8/11/2005)